Intellectual property
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on intellectual property. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| 07.01.2013 | The Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property |
| This note considers, on the basis of published Impact Assessments, which of the Hargreaves recommendations would require primary, and which secondary, legislation. At Committee stage of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill 2012-13, the Government added two new clauses to the Bill which appear to be a first move toward implementing Hargreaves. The second Government response document (December 2012) announced a number of changes which are intended to introduce greater 'freedoms in copyright law to allow third parties to use copyright works for a variety of economically and/or socially valuable purposes without the need to seek permission from copyright owners'. Secondary legislation to introduce these changes will be introduced in 2013. Prior to this, the Government will publish the draft regulations for technical review. |
| 24.08.2012 | Digital Economy Act 2010: Copyright |
| The Digital Economy Act 2010 provides for measures to combat online infringement of copyright. Not all the measures have been, or will be, implemented. Ofcom has been consulting on an 'initial obligations code' which would require internet service providers (ISPs) to issue warnings to persistent infringers and enable ISPs to initiate legal action against them. |
| 20.06.2012 | Music in public: copyright licensing |
| Performing, showing or playing a musical work in public is a 'restricted act' under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Copyright in a work is infringed by a person who without the licence of the copyright owner (in practice a relevant collecting society such as the Performing Right Society) does, or authorises another to do, any of the acts restricted by copyright. |
| 08.03.2012 | The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) |
| This note provides a brief overview of the controversy and includes a summary of the final text of the agreement. |
| 30.06.2011 | Copyright online |
| The online world and those who inhabit it throw up challenges to the legitimacy of copyright law and the methods and effectiveness of enforcing it. |
Research Papers
| 03.10.2012 | Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill: Committee Stage Report |
| This is a report on the Public Bill Committee Stage of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. It is designed to complement the Research Paper Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill (RP 12/33), which covers in more detail the background to the Bill |
| 07.06.2012 | Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill |
| The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill introduces reforms in a number of areas. |
| 29.03.2010 | Digital Economy Bill [HL] |
| The Bill implements aspects of Government policy on digital media set out in the 'Digital Britain' White Paper published in June 2009. It requires Ofcom to report on communications infrastructure and media content and gives it additional powers in relation to electromagnetic spectrum access. It imposes obligations on internet service providers to reduce online copyright infringement and allows the Secretary of State to intervene in internet domain name registration. The Bill requires Channel Four to provide public service content on a range of media and allows variation of the public service provision in Channel 3 and 5 licences. It also modifies the licensing regime to facilitate switchover to digital radio, extends the range of video games that are subject to age-related classification and includes non-print formats in the public lending right payment scheme. |
| 03.06.2004 | Patents Bill (HL) (Bill 90 2003/04) |
| The Patents Bill (HL) (Bill 90 2003/04). House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/41. |
| 15.03.2002 | Patents Act 1977 (Amendment) (No 2) Bill (Ten minute rule Bill 2001/02) |
| The Patents Act 1977 (Amendment) (No 2) Bill. House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/23. |
Early Day Motions
| 08.02.2012 | COPYRIGHT AND CHARLES DICKENS |
| That this House notes the proposals in the consultation on the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property which relate to orphan works, extended collective licensing models and the ... |
| 14.09.2011 | EXTENSION OF COPYRIGHT TERM FOR MUSICIANS |
| That this Housewelcomes the extension of musicians' copyright term from 50 to 70 years agreed by the EU on 12 September 2011; believes that this will bring a fairer reward to many thousands ... |
| 25.01.2010 | PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL ANTI-COUNTERFEITING TRADE AGREEMENT |
| That this House is deeply concerned by the secrecy surrounding international negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA); notes that any agreement reached could affect ... |
| 12.10.2009 | ILLICIT FILE SHARING |
| That this House notes with concern the Government's proposals on file sharing which would allow rights holders to request internet service providers to disconnect for a period of time, ... |
| 29.04.2009 | WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY |
| That this House notes that 26 April 2009 was World Intellectual Property Day; welcomes this year's focus on green innovation; celebrates the enormous contribution intellectual property ... |
Lords Library Notes
| 09.11.2012 | Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill (HL Bill 45 of 2012-13) |
| The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill includes measures for changes to competition policy, to employment law, and for reducing regulation, as well as provisions on the Green Investment Bank, directors' remuneration, copyright and planning. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords. |
| 28.10.2011 | Debate on 3 November: The Creative Industries |
| This Library Note aims to provide background reading for the debate on the importance of the creative industries in the United Kingdom. |
POST Papers
| 15.06.2012 | GM in Agricultural Development |
| Almost 2 billion people suffer from chronic hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The UK funds research into genetic modification (GM) as one option for agricultural development. This POSTnote examines the potential benefits and challenges of using genetically modified crops to improve food security in developing countries. |
| 03.02.2012 | Biomedical Patents |
| This POSTnote considers how patent law is applied to biomedical inventions and examines the potential impact on patient access to diagnostic tests and innovation. |
